Metallic wall construction



July 24, 1962 w. HASEKAMP 3,045,784

METALLIC WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed May 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 24, 1962 L. w. HASEKAMP 3,045,784

METALLIC WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed May 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1: 5 wil a? 6 ll uh 7 United States Patent 3,045,784 METALLIC WALL CONSTRUCTION Lester W. Haseltamp, St. Louis, Mo, assignor to The Porcel Engineering Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed May 2, 1960, Ser. No. 26,071 3 Claims. (Cl. 18934) This invention relates to metallic wall constructions for buildings, and more particularly to metallic building wall constructions of the type comprising sheet metal panels (which may be porcelain enameled sheet metal panels) on prefabricated metal framing.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an improved metallic building wall construction of the class described wherein the framing includes vertical studs and horizontal girts supported by the studs, the girts serving the dual purpose of acting as stress-carrying framing members and acting as rails for supporting the sheet metal panels; the provision of a metallic building wall construction such as described wherein the panels are hung on the horizontal girts or rails by means of tabs, with the arrangement such as to make it easy properly to align the sheet metal panels as they are installed on the job; and the provision of a metallic building wall construction such as described wherein the panels have hooks at their upper edges by means of which they are hooked on the horizontal girts or rails, and wherein the studs do not obstruct the location of a hook in front of any stud, whereby the hooks may be preassembled with the panels without regard to their ultimate position on the framing. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a wall which is constructed in accordance with this invention, showing, by way of example, three tiers of sheet metal panels and three vertical rows of sheet metal panels, the intermediate tier and the end vertical rows being broken away to reduce the height and width of the view;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and with parts broken away at the center to reduce the width of the view;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1 with parts broken away to reduce the height of the view;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are vertical sections taken on lines 5--5 and 6--6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a perspective of a so-called hook tab used in the construction; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective of a so-called straight tab used in the construction.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawmgs.

Referring to the drawings, a metallic building wall constructed in accordance with this invention is shown to comprise framing generally designated E (which may be prefabricated) and tiers T1, T2, T3 of rectangular sheet metal panels 3 carried by the framing on both the inside and outside thereof. The framing 1 is shown to comprise vertical studs 5 and horizontal girts G1, G2, etc. supported by the studs. Each horizontal girt consists of a structural metal channel (such as a structural steel channel). The web of the channel is designated 7 and its flanges are designated 9. Each girt or channel has rectangular holes such as indicated at 11 in its web 7. Each hole 11 is formed by striking out portions of the web 7 which form downwardly extending flanges 13 at opposite sides of the hole. Studs 5, which as herein illustrated are structural metal channels (such as structural steel channels), extend upward from a base plate 15 through the holes 11 in the webs of the girts, there being two such studs extending upward through each hole 11, one at each end of the hole 11 (see FIGS. 2-4). The studs are welded to the plate 15 as indicated at 17 and the downwardly extending flanges 13 at opposite sides of holes 11 in the girts are welded to the studs as indicated at 19. The webs 21 of the channel-section studs 5 are located toward the ends of the holes 1'1. The plate 15 is bolted to the foundation for the wall as indicated at 2.3 in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The length of each hole 11 in the web 7 of each girt is less than the distance between the flanges 9 of the girt. Accordingly, one flange 9 of each girt is spaced outward from the studs on one side of the framing l, and the other flange 9 of each girt is spaced downward from the studs on the other side of the framing. The spaces between flanges 9 and studs 5 are indicated at 25. Girts G1, G2, etc. serve a dual purpose: they function as stresscarrying framing members and also as rails for supporting the sheet metal panels 3. As herein illustrated, the lowermost girt G1 is spaced somewhat above the plate 15. The next girt G2 is spaced above plate 15 a distance corresponding to the height of a panel 3. The next girt G3 is spaced above girt G2 a distance corresponding to the height of a panel 3, girt G4 is spaced above girt G3 a distance corresponding to the height of a panel 3, and so on. Each panel 3 has upper and lower flanges 27 and 29 and side flanges each designated '31. Panels 3 are architectural panels, and may have a porcelain enamel coating (not illustrated) on the outside. They may also have insulation material (not illustrated) on the inside.

As herein illustrated, each panel 3 has what are referred to as hook tabs 33 at the top by means of which it is hooked onto the upstanding flange 9 of the girt G2, G3, etc, as the case may be, which lies behind the top of the panel. As shown best in FIG. 7, each hook tab consists of a strip of sheet metal bent to have a flat horizontal base portion 35, a flange 37 extending downward from one end of the base portion and a downwardly opening hook 39 on the flange 37. Two hook tabs 33 are secured to the upper flange 27 of each panel 3 with base portion 35 underneath the upper flange and secured thereto as by means of a self-tapping screw 41. It will be understood that the tabs 33 are secured to the panels 3 at the factory before delivery to the field for installation on framing P. The hooks 39 of the tab 33 are hoked over the upwardly extending flanges 9 0f the girts. The space 25 between a flange 9 and a stud 5 is suflicient to accommodate the hook 39 of any hook tab that may happen to come in front of a stud. This avoids any necessity for taking precautions in prefabrication that no hook tab will be located in front of a stud. It also eliminates any necessity for initial accuracy in hanging a panel. Thus, a workman may quickly hang a panel on a girt without regard to its precise final position, and then may easily slide it sidewise on the girt accurately to line up the panel.

As herein illustrated, each panel 3 of the lower tier Tl has hook tabs 33 at the sides and adjacent the bottom thereof by means of which it is hooked to the upstanding flange of the lowermost girt G1. These side hook tabs of each lowermost panel are secured as by means of selftapping screws 41 to angle brackets 43 which are secured as by self-tapping screws 41 to the inside of the side flanges 31 of the lowermost panel.

As herein illustrated, each panel 3 of the upper tiers T2, T3, etc. has what are referred to as straight tabs 45 at its bottom which are hooked behind the upper flange 2'7 of the panel next below so as to hold the panels of the upper tiers from swinging out away from framing F. As shown best in FIG. 8, each straight tab 45 consists of a strip of sheet metal bent to have a flat horizontal base portion 47, an inclined portion 49 extending up from one end of the base portion, and a vertical portion 51 extending down from the upper end of the inclined portion below the level of the base portion. Two straight are secured to the bottom flange 29 of each panel 3 of tiers T2, T3, etc. with base portion 47 on top of flange 29 and secured thereto as by means of a self-tapping screw 41. Tabs 45 are also secured to the panels 3 for the tiers T2, T3, etc. at the factory. In applying the panels of tiers T2,, T3, etc. to the framing, the vertical portions 51 of the straight tabs 45 on each panel are inserted between flange 9 and the edge of the upper flange 27 of the panel next below (see FIG. 4). This locks the bottom of each panel in tiers T2, T3, etc. in place. The straight tabs 45 are located in such position as to be offset laterally from the hook tabs 33.

From the above, it will be apparent that in the completed structure, the girts G1, G2, etc. serve as horizontal stress-carrying elements of the framing F and as rails for hanging the sheet metal panels 3 on the girts or rails. With the hook tabs 33 at the top of each panel 3, it is a relatively simple matter to hook a panel onto a girt or rail and slide it sidewise, if necessary, into proper position. There is no interference between the tabs and the studs 5 since the flanges 9 of the girts are spaced outward from the studs. The panels 3 in the lower tier are held against moving outward from the framing F by engagement of the hook tabs 33 at the top and bottom of these panels with the flanges 9 of girts G2 and G1. The panels 3 of any tier above the bottom tier are held against moving outward from the framing F by engagement of hook tabs 33 at the top thereof with the flanges 9 of the respective girts and by engagement of the straight tabs 45 behind the upper flanges 27 of the panels next below.

As appears in the drawings, in the final assembly, there are spaces between the bottom flanges 29 of the panels of the lower tier and the foundation, and spaces between adjacent panels. It will be understood that these spaces are ultimately filled with a caulking material (not shown). It will be further understood that while the drawings show panels 3 on both sides of framing F, the construction of this invention is frequently utilized when panels 3 are used only on the outside of the framing. It will also be understood that tab arrangements other than the arrangement specifically illustrated herein may be used. For example, hook tabs might be used at the bottom of the panels 3 of the tiers above the bottom tier.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a metallic building wall construction, framing and tiers of rectangular sheet metal panels secured to the framing at least on one side thereof, the framing including vertical studs, an upper horizontal girt and a lower horizontal girt for each tier of panels, the girts having horizontal web portions extending between the studs and secured thereto and supported thereby and acting as stress-carrying members in the framing, each girt also having an upwardly extending flange extending throughout its length and spaced outward from the studs on said one side of the framing, each panel in a tier being secured at the top thereof to the respective upper girt by means of tabs fastened to the top of the panel, each tab including a downwardly opening hook portion which is hooked over the upwardly extending flange of the respective upper girt, said hook portions being adapted in the assembly of the panel with the respective upper girt for lateral sliding on said girt into its final position without regard to the location of the studs, and means for securing the bottom of each panel in place on the framing.

2. In a metallic building wall construction as set forth in claim 1, each panel having upper, lower and side flanges extending inward toward the framing, the tabs on each panel being fastened to the upper flange of the panel, the hook portion of each tab being located on the inside of the upper flange and having its upper end spaced above the upper flange for positioning the upper flange at a level between the top and bottom of the upwardly extending flange of the respective upper girt.

3. In a metallic building wall construction as set forth in claim 2, the lower flange of each panel being positioned at a level between the top and bottom of the upwardly extending flange of the respective lower girt, and the means for securing the bottom of each panel in place on the framing comprising bottom tabs fastened to the lower flange of the panel, each bottom tab having a portion extending downward on the inside of the lower flange and projecting below the latter and engaged behind the upper flange of the next panel below.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,966,041 Nelson July 10, 1934 2,007,842 Whiteside July 9, 1935 2,074,000 Streich Mar. 16, 1937 2,371,921 Tucker Mar. 20, 1945 2,416,240 Strandlund Feb. 18, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 421,972 Italy Apr. 6, 1946 599,793 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1948 

